Air distribution apparatus



March 23, 1937. H. c. SANDBERG AIR DISTRIBUTION APPARATUS Filed Nov. 8, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 SYWMVIOD 'Henry C Sandberg AIR DI STRIBUTION APPARATUS Filed Nov. 8, 1955 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Herzzy C San 692;;

Patented Mar. 23, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v AIR DISTRIBUTION APPARATUS Henry C. Sandberg, Wethersfield, Conn.

Application November 8, 1935, Serial No. 48,818

v 6 Claims. (01. 98- 110) This invention relates to improvements in air distribution apparatus and, more particularly, to a device arranged to control the flow of air into a room from a supply duct for heating, cooling, or air conditioning the room in any desired manner.

It is a well-known fact that one difficulty experienced in connection with prior types of air distribution apparatus lies in properly directing a uniform, evenly distributed flow of air from a duct into a room without creating eddy currents and drafts in various lower parts of the room which cause annoyance to the occupants and frequently result in their catching cold. This is one of the reasons why air distribution equipment has not proved entirely satisfactory in buildings having relatively small rooms.

It is, therefore, the principal object of my invention to provide an air distribution apparatus which may be so regulated that it will direct a desired volume of air flow into a room without causing drafts which are objectionable to occupants of the room.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an air distribution apparatus arranged to deflect a desired volume of air from a duct and cause it to flow in required direction into a room.

It is a still further object of my invention to provide an apparatus for an air distribution system which not only serves to divert a given volume of air from a supply duct, but also serves to regulate both the velocity and direction of flow of said air therefrom.

. With these andother objects in view, my invention consists in the unique construction and combination of members hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and referred to in the claims appended hereto; it being understood, of course, that various changes in the general form, proportion, and size, as well as other minor details of construction lying within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like parts are indicated by like reference numerals:

Figure 1 is a sectional view taken substantially along line I-l of Fig. 2 and illustrating the application of my invention to an air distribution system;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. i is a diagrammatic showing of my invention as employed to provide an even flow of air 55 into a room;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic showing of my invention arranged to control the volume of air flow from a supply duct into a room and yet provide an evenly distributed uni-directional flow.

In accordance with my preferred type of invention, I have provided a deflecting device arranged to be positioned within an air distribution system and having a, plurality of cooperative but individually adjustable vanes which may be pre-set to various desired angular positions to deflect a predetermined but adjustable volume of air from an air supply duct and direct it into a room in a desired direction, at a required velocity, and under a desired distribution of flow.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment of my invention, I have provided a deflecting device supplied'with a frame l0 composed of any suitable material such as sheet metal shaped into the form of an open ended rectangular box having two substantially parallel opposed side faces l2 and I3 interconnected at their ends by a pair of plane opposed parallel side faces l5 and I6. If desired, the side faces l2-and l3 and end faces l5 and I6 adjacent to the open ends of the frame may each terminate in reinforcing flanges or overturned lips I! which serve to increase the rigidity of the frame as well as to aid in securing it in operative position.

As shown in Fig. l, in my preferred construction, the frame I0 is intended to project into an air supply duct on a slight angle so that a plurality of vanes within the frame will each lie in the path of air flowing under pressure from a suitable source through said duct and serve to engage the flow of air and deflect a portion of it into a relatively short branch duct 23 suitably connected to duct 20 and having an end (not shown) entering into a room in a desired position. The branch duct 23 is preferably integral with 'or rigidly secured to duct 20, as shown, and is provided with opposed plane faces having a rectangular cross section of such size that the frame In may be slidably received therein. A packing 24, composed of a suitable compressible material such as felt, is locatedbetween the outer side and end faces of the frame I0 and the inner walls of branch duct 23 so that the deflecting device will be firmly secured in desired position projecting into duct 20, and all air flowing through the branch duct into a room will have to pass through said device and be controlled thereby. In view of the fact that the deflecting device projects at an angle into duct 2d, the top and bottom edges of the longitudinal side frame faces l2 and I3 together with the parallel side faces l5 and i6 serve to form a non-rectangular parallelogram as illustrated in Fig. 1. In other words, the frame Hl provides an open ended box which is tilted upwardly into the air stream of duct 20 and yet has spaced side faces substantially parallel to the walls of branch duct 23.

In order to deflect the air flow into duct 2i and direct it into duct 23 so that it will flow under desired control into a room, I have provided a plurality of spaced outwardly extending vanes 25 and similar but opposed outwardly projecting vanes 26. These vanes, which are substantially duplicate in construction, are composed of any suitable'rigid material such as sheet metal having a plane body portion extending transversely between the inner faces of the longitudinal frame sides I2 and it. The inner end of each vane is provided with spaced looped portions 3i journalled on a cross pin 32 secured between the frame sides whereby each pin pivotally supports two individually mounted opposed vanes 25 and 26. It will thus be appreciated that one set of vanes 25 and the other set of vanes 25 may each be individually and pivotally swung upon their respective spaced cross pins 32 for angular adjustment towards and from each other to deflect air in any manner required from duct Ed and direct it into a room through branch duct 23. The cross pins 32 are preferably mounted in spaced relation to each other and arranged to pass through inwardly extending longitudinal raised portions 3% integral with the side frame faces i2 and it. As shown in Fig. 2, each pin 32 may be secured in position by suitably upsetting or heading over its opposed ends which project through the frame sides.

In order to rigidly secure each of the vanes 25 and 26 in its desired individually adjusted position, I have provided a suitable means which frictionally engages the opposed frame sides. The outer end of each vane is provided with a looped portion 36 which slidably receives a pair of coiled springs 35 and friction pins 38. As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, the loop portion 3% is dented or creased intermediate of its ends-at 3i and each of these creases forms a seat for the inner end of one of the springs 35 which compressively engages the slidable pin 36 and causes its outer end to frictionally engage one of the faces l2 and it. It will thus be appreciated that each vane may be individually and angularly adjusted to a desired position, and the opposed pins 36 will serve to secure the vane in position as well as prevent any vibration thereof. Furthermore, the opposed raised portions 33 will maintain the opposed lateral edges of the vanes in a slight spaced relation with the faces l2 and I3 to aid in adjustment of the vanes, and the pins 35 may engage said raised portions and limit the extent of angular movement of each of the vanes.

Fig. 4 shows the application of my invention to provide a uni-directional even flow of a predetermined volume of 'air from the supply duct into a room. As illustrated, the vanes 25 are individually and adjustablypositioned so that they will lie substantially parallel to each other and at any desired obtuse angles to the oncoming air flow within duct 20. Since each vane 25 projects a given distance above the top of the preceding vane into the air stream wi h n du t 3 and the distances between the adjacent top vanes are substantially the same, each vane will divert a substantially equivalent portion of the air flow from duct 28. The vanes 26, with the exception of the last one to the right as viewed in Fig. 4 and indicated by numeral 2611, are all pro-adjusted to lie substantially parallel to each other and parallel to the desired direction of air flow through branch duct 23 which, in the present instance, is parallel to the I side walls of said duct and at right angles to the air flow within duct 20. The

lower vane 26a is adjusted to engage with side face it of frame it] so that there will be substantially no air flow therebetween in view of the fact that the side or end face l5 of my deflector frame l0 does not lie parallel to the planes of the preset vanes 25. Consequently, if air flow were permitted between vane 26a and side face l5, the flow of air into duct 23 would not be parallel to the emission of air between the other lower vanes 26 with the result that cross and eddy currents would be produced, and the uni-directional flow of air from other portions of the deflector device would be upset causing objectionable drafts within the room. I

Fig. 5 shows my invention arranged to provide a uni-directional nozzle type of air flow into a room. As illustrated, the vanes 25 are pre-adjusted to each divert a desired amount of air from duct 26, and the vanes 26 are adjusted towards each other providing relatively narrow orifices between their outer ends so that the velocity of air flow as well as the direction thereof may be accurately controlled.

Fig. 6 illustrates the application of my invention to control both the volume of air flow into a room and also to provide a uniformly distributed even flow of air in a single direction. To accomplish this, each of the vanes 25 is so preadjusted that an equivalent unit volume of air is diverted thereby, and each of the vanes 26 is individually so adjusted that the flow of air from the deflector device into branch duct 23 is uniform for each unit area. of the deflecting devibe, and also so that the air flow therefrom in a single direction which, in the present instance, is parallel to the walls of duct 23 and perpendicular to the flow of air within duct 20.

In my various illustrated showings, I have provided eight pairs of spaced pivotally mounted cooperative vanes 25 and 26 which are respectively journalled on eight uniformly spaced cross pins 32, but it will be appreciated that two or more pairs of spaced vanes may be employed to carry out the features of my invention. 'Furthermore, my deflecting device is illustrated as of general rectangular shape arranged to fit within a rectangularly shaped branch duct, but it will be appreciated that my ducts may be of any suitable shape and size and my deflector device may be arranged to fit therein in any manner desired without deviating from the scope of the present invention.

It will thus be appreciated that I have provided an air distribution apparatus which may be positioned within a branch duct adjacent to a supply duct and wherein a plurality of vanes may be individually adjusted to direct any desired distribution, direction, and velocity of air flow through a branch duct and into a room irrespective of the conditions of air flow within the supply duct.

I claim as my invention:

1. An air distribution apparatus comprising a supply duct having a current of air flowing therethrough, a branch duct communicating at one end with the supply duct and at the other end with a room, means positioned at the junction of said ducts and arranged to control the flow of air therebetween, said means including a plurality of individually adjustable vanes each of which is arranged to deflect a predetermined amount of air from the supply duct into the branch duct, a second set of individually adjustable vanes cooperable with said first mentioned vanes and means individually securing each vane in adjusted position whereby the deflected air currents may be regulated to flow as desired into the room.

2. An air distribution apparatus comprising a supply duct having a current of air flowing therethrough, a branch duct communicating with the supply duct at one end and with a room at the other end, a deflecting device secured at the junction of said ducts, a plurality of spaced deflector vanes within said device and projecting into the supply duct into engagement with the current of air flowing therethrough, means to individually and angularly adjust each vane relative to the air flow within said duct whereby a desired amount of air may be diverted into the branch duct, a

second set of spaced vanes within the device each of which is respectively connected with one of the vanes of the first mentioned set, and means to adjustably and individually angularly position each one of the second mentioned vanes relative to its respective deflector vane whereby the air deflected from the supply duct may be delivered into a room with a uni-directional flow and at a predetermined but adjustable velocity.

3. An air distribution apparatus comprising a supply duct arranged to carry a current of air, a branch duct communicating at one end with the supply duct and at the other end with a room, a deflector device angularly positioned within the branch duct and angularly projecting into the air current within the supply duct, a plurality of substantially parallel spaced pins extending transversely across the deflector device, a pair of outwardly extending vanes pivotally mounted for individual pivotal movement upon each of said pins, and resilient means with in each of said vanes whereby they may be individually and angularly positioned to divert a pre- 'determined flow of air from the supply duct tion of said ductsand projecting angularly into the air flowing through the supply duct, said device including a plurality of individually adjustable spaced deflector vanes each successive vane protruding beyond the preceding vane and into the air flow through the supply duct, and resilient means to individually secure each vane in its Dre-adjusted angular position relative to the air flow whereby it will deflect a desired portion of the air from the supply duct and direct it into the room.

5. An air distribution apparatus comprising an air supply duct having an air'flow therethrough, a branch duct communicating with the supply duct at one end and with a room at the other end, a frame removably secured within the junction of said ducts, means between said frame and the branch duct which prevents air flow therebetween, a plurality of parallel spaced pivot pins extending between the opposed sides of said frame, a set of deflector vanes each of which is pivotally mounted for individual movement on one of said pins and protrudes beyond an adjacent vane into the path of air flow in the supply duct, a second set of deflector vanes each of which is individually and pivotally mounted for separate angular movement on one of said pivot pins and projects into the branch duct, and resilient means individually securing each vane in any desired pre-adjusted angular position whereby .a predetermined portion of air flow from the supply duct may be directed through the branch duct and into the room as desired.

6. An air distribution apparatus comprising a supply duct having a current of air flowing therethrough, an aperture in the side of the supply duct, a branch duct communicating with said aperture at one end and with a room at the other end, a frame secured within the branch duct and at the junction of said ducts and angularly projecting into the supply duct, a plurality of spaced pivot pins extending between and secured to the opposed sides of; said frame, a pair of vanes journalled at their inner ends for pivotal movement on each pin and arranged to be individually and angularly adjusted relative thereto, a plurality of said vanes projecting at successively greater distances into the air stream within the supply duct and others of said vanes projecting into the branch duct, and resilient means secured to each vane whereby said vanes may be individually and angularly positioned to deflect a predetermined amount of air flow from the supply duct and direct it as desired through the branch duct into the room.

HENRY C. SANDBERG. 

